CHAMPION BUMPER: RACE PREVIEW

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UNION Dues appears to be Willie Mullin's leading hope this season having won impressively at Killarney and Navan.

Empiracle, from the Jeremy Scott stable, Empiracle, has been ruled out of the race.

Also Le vent D’Antan has one race to his credit, managing a 6 length win in a national hunt flat race in January.

Shield recently won at Leopardstown ridden by Kate Harrington in the colours of O’Brien senior’s wife Anne-Marie. Shield gained a placing in the first four of a race at Punchestown that qualified him to run in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

His run that day did not convince O’Brien that Shield should take his place, but success in the Kilkenny INH Bumper at Leopardstown did.

Vieux Lion Rouge possibly is the most successful horse in this field, and despite being a year younger than any of the favourites is more experienced. He’s run three times in his career and won all three races, taking two of these victories by 14 lengths.

Golantilla, owned, bred and trained by Sean O'Brien, heads the betting after sluicing home in the mud on his only start at Cork in January. O'Brien calls him “an absolute machine” and that infectious enthusiasm has clearly filtered through to the market.

I’m Fraam Govan (owned by Sir Alex Ferguson) was an impressive winner over subsequent Listed hurdles winner and Grade One-placed Easter Day on his racecourse bow at Worcester last May. But he was only fifth on his reappearance at Lingfield in January

Regal Encore is unbeaten in two starts and owned by JP McManus. He was purchased for an undisclosed fee after cruising to victory at Southwell in February and followed up at Chepstow in October. Although he has not raced since, latest reports suggest that he is on course for the festival and carries plenty of stable confidence.

Another horse to watch is The Liquidator. His owner Roger Brookhouse has already nominated his charge as his best chance at this year's festival and he has shown plenty of potential and improvement in his three runs so far.

A dark horse might be Fascino Rustico. This horse is well prepared, horse racing experts are really keen on this horse and he is highly regarded by Nicholls.